Senate debates Documents

Department of the Treasury; Order for the Production of Documents


Tim Ayres

Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation

12:02 pm

As I indicated the last time I appeared on a Tuesday afternoon in relation to order for production of documents No. 27, the government has complied with that order. I've advised the Senate that the minister made a valid claim of public interest immunity over documents in the scope of the order. That claim was made because they directly related to the deliberations of cabinet. I am in the sober position of reporting to the Senate that that position has not altered in any way. It cannot alter because it would be inconsistent with the approach that this government, previous governments and governments in other Westminster jurisdictions around the world have taken.

Releasing documents that relate to the deliberations of cabinet is prohibited for all of the reasons that have been set out over the centuries in the approach of democratic Westminster governments. Senator Bragg knows that. The senators who voted for this regular appearance know that. Yet it persists because it's just about partisan politics. It's widely accepted that the deliberations of cabinet should be conducted in private to preserve the freedom of deliberation of those bodies.

I understand that the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation are opposed to the five per cent deposit scheme. I understand that position. You may be opposed to the fact that 270,000 Australians, mostly young Australians, have gotten into homeownership with the support of the Albanese government. I understand that position. I don't think it's a credible position. I don't think it's a position that mainstream Australians would support, but it's one of the many positions that the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation hold that are out of step with mainstream Australia.

I understand that the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation are opposed to the government building social and affordable homes. Senator Bragg and his colleagues are opposed to the mechanism that the government is using to finance those positions.

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